八はち幡まん

noun

Hachiman; god of war

Shinto abbreviation of 八幡神, referring to Hachiman, traditionally worshipped as a martial deity. Often appears in religious and historical contexts.

See also: 八幡神

• 八はち幡まんは武ぶ神しんとして広ひろく信しん仰こうされた。

  Hachiman was widely worshipped as a god of war.

noun

Hachiman shrine

Abbreviation of 八幡宮, referring to a shrine dedicated to Hachiman. Context usually makes clear that the shrine, not the deity or a place name, is meant.

See also: 八幡宮

• 正しょう月がつに地じ元もとの八はち幡まんへお参まいりに行いった。

  At New Year's, I went to pray at the local Hachiman shrine.

adverb

certainly; surely

Archaic adverbial use meaning something like “certainly” or “surely.” It is not a productive modern everyday use; learners are most likely to encounter it in old texts or explanations of old usage.

• 古ふるい用よう法ほうでは、八はち幡まんは「確たしかに」という意い味みの副ふく詞しとして使つかわれる。

  In old usage, 八幡 is used as an adverb meaning “certainly.”